Eric Boggs
Ohio State entered Madison knowing every result matters in a crowded Big Ten race and an even tighter NCAA Tournament bubble. For stretches, the Buckeyes showed enough shot-making to believe an upset was possible. Over 40 minutes, however, Wisconsin’s efficiency and balance proved too much to overcome, as the Badgers held Ohio State at arm’s length for most of the afternoon in a 92-82 defeat at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin improved to 16-6 overall and 8-3 in conference play behind a trio of scorers who consistently punished defensive breakdowns. John Blackwell led all scorers with 22 points, Nick Boyd added 21, and Austin Rapp torched the Buckeyes for 19 while anchoring a Badger offense that shot better than 51 percent from the floor. Ohio State fell to 14-7 and 6-5, undone by defensive lapses on the perimeter and a nightmarish showing from its center rotation.
The opening half was a shootout that played directly into Wisconsin’s comfort zone. Ohio State briefly seized control early, sparked by a sharp crossover and three-pointer from John Mobley Jr. that ignited a 13-2 run. Amare Bynum and Taison Chatman followed with triples of their own, and a deep Puff Johnson three pushed the Buckeyes ahead 21-11. But the lead vanished as quickly as it appeared. Wisconsin adjusted, Ohio State’s rotations slipped, and open shooters made the Buckeyes pay. Rapp, in particular, caught fire, drilling five of his first six attempts from beyond the arc and closing the half with 19 points.
Despite Chatman’s energy off the bench and a late Bynum drive at the buzzer, Wisconsin carried a 49-43 lead into halftime and never truly relinquished control. The Badgers opened the second half by pushing the margin into double figures, and while Ohio State had chances during a brief Wisconsin scoring drought, missed layups and empty possessions prevented any real momentum shift.
Every time the Buckeyes threatened to cut the deficit, Wisconsin responded with poise. Boyd steadied the Badgers at the free-throw line, Blackwell finished through contact, and timely threes kept the lead hovering around ten points. Ohio State experimented with smaller lineups in search of a spark, but Wisconsin attacked the interior and maintained separation down the stretch.
Bynum led the Buckeyes with 18 points, while Devin Royal and Bruce Thornton each added 17, though efficiency was an issue. Chatman continued to be a bright spot with 14 points off the bench before fouling out. Ultimately, the difference came inside, where Ohio State received no scoring production from its centers, a gap Wisconsin exploited repeatedly.
Ohio State now turns its attention to the final stop of its road trip with a Thursday night matchup at Maryland. With the margin for error shrinking, the Buckeyes will need sharper execution and more consistency if they want to solidify their postseason hopes in the weeks ahead.
